The Face of Evil

Hamas, Hizbullah and the Iranian regime are ideologically committed to the Jewish state's destruction.

"Sometimes," Blaise Pascal once noted, "we learn more from the sight of evil than from an example of good." The great philosopher's pithy observation took on new resonance last week, as Israelis were given ample opportunity to catch a glimpse of what sheer, unadulterated wickedness truly looks like.

In Beirut, it took the form of Hizbullah thug-in-chief Hassan Nasrallah. Speaking on Saturday to a crowd of tens of thousands of cheering supporters, the bearded and bespectacled terror boss delivered one of the most chilling speeches in recent memory.

"O Zionists," he declared, "your army has left the body parts of your soldiers in our villages and fields. Our mujahadeen fought these Zionists, killing them and collecting their body parts."

For Nasrallah to gloat about mutilation and dismemberment is simply inhuman.

As if that weren't gruesome enough, Nasrallah went on to provide still more macabre detail. "I am not talking about regular body parts," he said. "I tell the Israelis, we have the heads of your soldiers, we have hands, we have legs ... there is even a near-complete body, a half or three-quarters of a body, from head, to chest to the torso."

Even for the Middle East, it was an exceptional demonstration of callousness and cruelty. For Nasrallah to gloat about mutilation and dismemberment is simply inhuman. Adjectives such as depraved and degenerate fail to do this cretin justice.

But the evil on display last week was not confined merely to our northern borders. To the east, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was boasting in an interview with Al-Jazeera that Israel is "doomed to collapse," in the process repeating one of his favorite mantras that Zionists are "enemies of mankind." Backing up his rhetoric with deeds, the tyrant of Teheran took delivery of another 11 tons of nuclear fuel from Russia as he races ahead with plans to produce atomic weapons. And we all know just where those warheads will be pointed, should he succeed with his nefarious schemes.

Then, to the south of us lies Hamas-controlled Gaza. In recent days, Palestinian terrorists have fired more than 160 Kassam rockets and 70 mortar shells from the Strip at Israeli towns and villages throughout the Negev, indiscriminately targeting innocent civilians.

The result has been that thousands of Israelis are being terrorized daily by the shrill sound of sirens and the piercing whistle of potentially-lethal projectiles hurtling at them through the air.

Not surprisingly, a new study released by the Israel Center for Victims of Terror and War found that over 75 percent of the children in Sderot exhibit symptoms of post-traumatic stress.

And so, an entire generation in that battered southern town is growing up with extensive psychological and emotional wounds.

What are we to make of all this? What does this hatred mean? While this question might seem tantalizingly simple, or even simplistic, the answer to this query is in fact what lies at the root of Israel's foreign and defense policies.

For some, the encirclement of Israel by hostile forces is what underlies their determination to reach a final deal as quickly as possible with Mahmoud Abbas.

Resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, they say, will sap the hostility directed at Israel throughout the Arab world, thereby securing the Jewish state's place in the region.

But such an approach amounts to little more than wishful thinking, as our brief little survey of the region clearly indicates. The enmity we face is not merely political, but fundamentally theological too.

For Hamas, Hizbullah and the Iranian regime, which together constitute an arc of hate surrounding Israel, are ideologically committed to the Jewish state's destruction, regardless of whether a settlement of one sort or another is reached.

Addressing the political demands of our foes, while ignoring their deep-seated sense of sacred duty to erase the Jewish presence in this region, is an act of potentially lethal self-delusion.

Like all human beings, we Israelis are uncomfortable staring evil directly in the face. It strikes at our own historical and existential anxieties, and goes against our basic human need to be loved and appreciated.

But psycho-babble aside, we need to come to terms with the reality of our situation, which boils down to fighting back or being ejected from the ring.

Israel is engaged in a titanic, life-and-death struggle between good and evil.

The arc of hate is growing ever more bold, and it is only a matter of time before they seize upon the sense of weakness that our current leaders are projecting and ready themselves to pounce.

These recent events should serve as a jolting reminder to us all that Israel is engaged in a titanic, life-and-death struggle between good and evil. This is not about a misunderstanding over boundary lines, water rights or even refugees. It is a momentous, ongoing war of annihilation that our foes have been waging against us for over a century. Simply put, it is a struggle against evil.

And the critical component necessary for our survival and our success is maintaining an unwavering sense of faith, and never losing sight of the justness of our cause. The moment we do so is the moment when the battle will be lost.

Twenty-five years ago, during the Cold War with the Soviet Union, US president Ronald Reagan said, "I've always maintained that the struggle now going on for the world will never be decided by bombs or rockets, by armies or military might. The real crisis we face today is a spiritual one; at root, it is a test of moral will and faith."

Those words are equally applicable today. The evil is staring us right in the face, whether in the guise of Nasrallah, Ahmadinejad or Khaled Mashaal.

Our task is to stare it back down and defeat it, plain and simple. Like it or not, averting our eyes or making dangerous concessions simply won't make it go away.

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About the Author

The writer served as deputy communications director in the Prime Minister’s Office under former premier Binyamin Netanyahu. He is the founder and Chairman of Shavei Israel (www.shavei.org), a Jerusalem-based group that facilitates the return of the Bnei Menashe and other “lost Jews” to the Jewish people.

Visitor Comments: 24

(24)
Anonymous,
February 4, 2008 5:56 AM

Michael Freund presents a realistic view of Israel's future. Unless the illusion of attaining peace with the Palestinians is discarded, the situation will only get worse. Israel has to make it's stand now. Continued delay only encourages the Palestinians. Dealing with religious fanatics, who glorify Suicide Bombers, and teach this creed to their children, can only be meaningful to them, when they face defeat in combat. War is painful to all, but necessary to continue to live. Behavior theory is based on the belief that when a behavior is more painful than the pleasure one can achieve from the act, it is extinguished. President Truman ended World War II by dropping the Atomic Bombs. Atomic warfare is too horrible to contemplate, and should remain just as a deterrent. However, after Israel again defeats Hamas and Fatah, it needs to dictate the terms on which peace is negotiated. Whenever a rocket is fired into Israel, the response should be immediate bombing of the area. The civilian population should be warned that they should leave the area , if rockets are fired from their area. As the damage includes Palestinians, who claim they are not involved in the hostilities, they will, to protect their lives and homes, prevent the use of their site to launch rockets. The world will continue to condemn Israel for excessive retaliation, but it might stop the psychological trauma to Israeli citizens. The call for action may be the catalyst to once again unite the Israelis to act as an independent nation.

(23)
Jimmy,
February 2, 2008 9:33 PM

Remember 1967

Israel once only sought to defend itself, but Hashem gave us the whole of Canaan. The book of Judges is a period full of Unwillingness on the part of Israel to displace the Canaanites and the modern era from 1970 to present is the parallel period of unwillingness where Israel refuses to displace the palestinians. The article is correct in its assesment but things are deeper when taken in a historical perpective with trend analysis. If we as a nation do not maintain our 1967 gains and care for what Hashem has granted us, the new palestinian state the US and Europe are trying to scheme on will be the start of our dispossession. This has been a cyclical phenomenon that has repeated itself time and time again in our history. We fail to diposess the non Jewish elements in our country and we are satisfied by pressing them, assimilating, or making peace. In the end it leads to our exile after a while. If our current situation is not addressed properly, the Israeli citizens will all soon have to join the diaspora.

(22)
Anonymous,
February 2, 2008 10:09 AM

Gaza Palestinsins

it seems to me people are seeing from some Youtube clips what idf is doing to make it hard for the other side of Palestinians who live on the other side of the border or who lives beside jewish settlements.I would like to see Israel change and make Palestine a state as well may be no one will agree with that or the politics goes behind that on both sides...some day where is peace going to be gainand stopping the hate stops on both sides where are these people going to go and live if someo ne going to talk talk for peace and settle the darn whole mess there once and for all

directer 4 peace for the middle east

(21)
Gary Katz,
February 1, 2008 11:45 PM

Popular evil

I don't know who's worse, hate mongers like Nasrallah or the millions of slobbering morons who cheer them on. And to think that their vision of G-d is a being who would reward mass murderers...it's like a pandemic of insanity.

(20)
Marc Milton-Talbot,
January 31, 2008 1:38 PM

One less hurdle

I agree with these comments.By settling with Abbas however,will demonstrate to those apologists for militant Islam in the West exactly what you maintain,namely,that the Palestinian question is not the cause of Arab hostility.Then when Ahmadinejad threatens Israel he will no longer have a leg to stand on.The world will finally wake up to the machinations of this evil trinity.

(19)
Joe,
January 31, 2008 12:03 PM

So what are we doing about it?

The article is correct - as far as it goes. It does not say strongly enough how much the peril is. Israel's house is divided. Her leaders are weak. Support for Israel in the West is threatened.

With our house in such shambles, Israel can not stand alone, and soon she will have to against ever more determined foes. We lack the will to recognize we are at war. We lack the will to fight the war to win.

I am not just talking about the inner internal war, the one where we have to get our own act together if we are to have a chance of winning. In the very real, guns and bullets and bombs sense, we are at war.

We are losing that war by centimeters. It saps our collective will. It saps our ability to love our fellow Jews. It saps our ability to see clearly and it saps our ability to fight.

Why does anyone believe that Fatah are now the "nice" terrorists? Why is there one stone still standing on top of another in Gaza? If Mexico were baraging a town in Texas every day, how long would that be tolerated by America? What response would the US have? If Belgium were rocketing Holland, same question.

Why do we not realise that our enemies will give us no quarter? Why do we care for a moment what the Europeans think? They have never been our friends. We care because it is an excuse. It is a rationalization for our own weakness.

Why is it that so many Jews are so quick to blame themselves for everything. It is not as if Israel is perfect. Only a delusional fool would claim that. Yet, when one points out the dangers and the evils of our foes, so many Jews are quick to make it sound like the bad guys have a point - as if somehow the two sides are morally equal. Have you ever heard of Jews dancing in the streets with body parts? If you think that somehow Israel, on it's very worst days, is anywhere close to the depravity of our enemies on their best days, you are insane.

And that is the other real point. We will not loose this war because our foes are so much stronger. We are loosing because we have weakened ourselves.

So the real question. The important question as you sit at your screen in your home or your office, is, what are YOU doing about this? Do you love your fellow Jews? How far would you go for them? Do you even raise your voice - or, do you just sit there and move to the next blurb?

We are living times of war, most people dont care the situation out of their walls house, dont care about nobody, saddly soon violence and damage inocent people will increase, we need a celestial superpower to rule all the earth, this is total solution that we will see soon.

(17)
F P O'Donnell,
January 28, 2008 2:48 PM

If Israel is ever destroyed the rest of the free world will surely follow.

I am a gentile, but I fervently support Israel which is no threat to the world. Would that the same could be said of the egregious religion of Islam.It is unfortunate that many do not fully understand this evil religion and its ambition to dominate the world with a world-wide Caliphate. They cannot tolerate the productive democracy of Israel in their midst and remain true to their history that Islam must dominate all others.

To those who criticise Israel and condemn its actions in defending itself, I say that surely they know that should Israel desire, it could destroy those who wish to destroy it, but continue only to use the minimum force purely to protect itself.

(16)
Andy,
January 28, 2008 12:15 PM

"if i'm not for myself who will "be comes to mind.a nation of lions.how i wish.churchill i think said that people get the gov't they deserve

"What are we to make of all this? What does this hatred mean?" i would guess it means that the powerful in israel don't care all that much about the people in sderot or the rest of the negev. i suspect that they think they are either victims of hard luck, or suckers for living there just as many americans think similarly of the soldiers fighting in iraq.in my opinion both groups are patriots fighting evil even if they are not consciously motivated by that cause. i think the enemy will grow stronger as long as the forces for good are silent and divided.it may be that israel having most to lose in the short term needs to go it alone.i suspect that president bush may support israel's efforts while he is in office.israel may not have the ability to overthrow these"faces of evil"but it seems to me they are lacking the will as well.

(15)
Beverly Kurtin,
January 27, 2008 11:58 PM

New Zeland, too.

Tonight, I read a "report" by a "reporter" from New Zealand. The lead paragraph started with one of the most hate-filled, disgusting sentences I've ever seen/heard in a Western paper. Paraphrasing it, he said that now nobody can deny that Israel is a terrorist state. He had the chutzpah to compare the walls around Gaza to what happened in Warsaw! He minimized the "homemade rockets" that did "minimal harm."

An hour later I wrote to that hate-filled ignorant writer. I wondered how he would feel if his family was killed by "mostly ineffective homemade rockets."

He ignored the fact that the Arabs had turned off their power, but neglected to turn off the street lights while their people marched with candles. They are so stupid that they failed to turn off the lights?

While writing the letter I got a call from a fellow Jew who wanted to tell me her new telephone number. When I tried to explain that I was writing a letter to a New Zealand writer who had blasted Israel, she would not shut up long enough to understand or even CARE that Israel was once again being attacked. "Oh, that's not all that important, let me give you my new number." I hung up on her so I could continue what I hope was a somewhat reasoned response.

What is wrong with American Jews?

For that matter, the idiot who currently inhabits the White House told the Arabs what they wanted to hear: he wants Israel to return all "occupied territory," not realizing that to the Arab ear that means every square centimeter of Israel. Arabs consider the entire State of Israel as being occupied.

All I can do is tell my Gentile friends about what is going on...my Jewish friends don't seem to care.

(14)
Giacomo,
January 27, 2008 11:18 PM

The naked truth

What I find greatly disturbing is the fact that we are facing the same climax of Purim, jet life and business in Israel run just as normal. I cannot see people fasting and asking for G-d deliverance on a national level. This is the real tragedy.

(13)
Paul Wiinter,
January 27, 2008 10:41 PM

Evil

MIchael Freund is spot on. There are a few points that need to be added though. When Nasrallah utters his foul and ghoulish words, he is not condemned because his Mohammedan audience thinks the same way. Even if there is some debate and some reasonableness in the Mohammedan sphere, depraved tribalism rules. The absolutist religio-politics which is Islam, behaves like a lawless cur, because it cannot tolerate not being top dog and being bettered by the Jew is anathema to them. Finally, the evil surrounding Israel is a threat to the whole world, and the "leaders" of Israel and the West in appeasing it are traitors to their own heritage. Islamofascism can be defeated like Naziism was: by force. What is lacking is will. In Israel's case, a nation of lions being led by a pack of jackals.

(12)
Art Vandelay,
January 27, 2008 10:38 PM

An eye for an eye and we all go blind.

I make no excuses for wretched human beings like Nasrallah and his ilk. We've got the nukes. But let's be honest with ourselves for a minute. If we level Gaza tomorrow, do you really think that eliminates the problem? History has shown that it actually makes it worse. Israel would be justified to launch a ground war in Gaza, but that doesn't mean it's advisable.

Weapons don't win wars. Ideas do. Nowhere is that better illustrated than Iran. That regime is on its last legs. Don't fall into his trap. Before you talk about bombing Iran, maybe we (the United States is a chief offender) should stop funding its military buildup. This notion of going around looking for new people to bomb is antithetic to Judaism, assuming that matters to anyone.

(11)
Nora Williams,
January 27, 2008 5:17 PM

No Peace for Israel

Your article is wonderfully to the point. Without a show of force and rapid retaliation, the simple minded tribal mentality of the islamic wrold will continue to do any and everything to bring Israel to destruction only to have its people become servants to a very evil religion.

(10)
ED WELCH,
January 27, 2008 3:00 PM

I HAVE A RIGHT TO EXIST TOO

IF I CONVERT TO CHRISTIANITY,OR ISLAM WILL I BE GIVEN THE RIGHT TO EXIST,NO NO NO,I WOULD STILL BE A JEW ,AND SOME ONE WOULD STILL WANT ME DEAD,STRANGE WORLD ISENT IT.

(9)
Jerald,
January 27, 2008 2:30 PM

A Doctrine Of Evil

It seems that Israel's leaders have already permitted the knife of evil to pierce the back of Israel. To prevent it from turning & disembowling her,"The People Of The Covenant", the knife must be quickly removed . Appeasement is sadly only concession after concession without any real recognition or protection of Israel's inalienable right "to be", to exist. In truth the whole process is nothing but a sham & facade enabling the evil doers to benefit at Israel's expense & in realty jeopordize her people's very existence & survival. Israel as much as she fervently wants peace cannot compromise with those who wish her destruction. What say you ?

(8)
Luis T,
January 27, 2008 11:16 AM

Coming to a Post Office near you

When President Bush spoke of the axis of evil, he should have been more specific. The fomenting of this "perceived" radical view is, in fact, the core of Islam itself. For the sake of diplomacy, truth and expediency were forsaken by the President in delineating between those whom are acting and those whom have yet to. The aforementioned Messrs. believe their eschatology inherently needs the destruction of the modern Jewish state to further substantiate Islam's oft nebulous claims of legitimacy. Please pay close attention to the nondistinctions.

(7)
james,
January 27, 2008 10:10 AM

the true face

The true face the true danger is that which is unseen. Many say they are friends, many claim they will support. However, when they come for them, when bigots rise friendships fade, many truly turn and run away. In just telling people, one is a Jew or wants to convert to Judaism one finds out the following. For one learns that the liberal is not really liberal or the conservative not what they say. Both are part of the same mold. Both have an agenda and it is not for the good of the Jew and definitely not good for the state of the Jews Israel. For be they liberal or conservative they want what best for them and theirs and that is not what is usually best for a Jew or Israel for in truth Jew is Israel and Israel is Jew. To change is to hate whom you are and if they can make brother hate brother then They have won.

(6)
wipprecht H,
January 27, 2008 9:49 AM

Why tolerate the rockets?

For a country that, in 6 days, beat 5 armies, why do you not take out those fewrocket launchers once and for all? Should be a cake walk! H Wipprecht

(5)
Michael,
January 27, 2008 9:37 AM

An Omission

You mention Hamas, Hizbollah and Iran. Obviously, you should also add Syria. But you certainly should include Iraq.

Trade between Iran and Iraq is reaching $2 billion a year -- that's $2 billion more for Iran to use in their nuclear research or for support of terrorism. Iran and Iraq already have in place several agreements which would give Iran control over most of Iraq's potential oil wealth. To where do you think that money will be spent?

Iraqi PM al-Maliki has opened his country to Hizbollah. Maliki himself has ties to Hizbollah, and now is allowing them to train in Iraq.

So why does the Maliki government get US support?

(4)
C,
January 27, 2008 9:30 AM

Prayers for the Peace of Yerushalayim

Today is Pray for the Peace of Yerushalayim Day. Also pray for peace on into the world, for the Islamists are organizing against the world governments by infiltrating first, then demanding Sharia law in lieu of that country's governmental laws.

Islamic State of North America is projecting Sharia law in America by 2050. We need each other in these perilous times, so pray for all those love Eretz Yisroel and the Seeds of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and support them with prayers, money, clothing, food and Jewish outreach programs.

In order for the Muslims to make peace with the Jews, they would have to stop killing them. It will take the Almighty, the Holy One of Israel, to stop the madness that has gone forth into the world today.

(3)
BRW,
January 27, 2008 9:29 AM

He who ignores the lessons of history is bound to repeat them

History will prove President Bush to be a great leader. He understands what others don't: evil can be ignored but that won't make it go away!

(2)
Ken Dion,
January 27, 2008 9:01 AM

Great Quote by Ronald Reagan

The article is right on. At the same time as staring them in the eyes we must continue to build up our military strengh because with out that we are surrounded by millions of fanatics.

(1)
Anonymous,
January 27, 2008 7:07 AM

SAD BUT TRUE, I PRAY FOR ALL OF YOU EACH DAY, I PRAY OUR CREATOR WILL MAKE THOSE BOMBS EXPLODE IN THE HANDS OF THOSE WHO LIFT THEM UP AGAINST ISRAEL AND THE INOCENT. MAY OUR CREATOR LOOK UPON US WITH KIND EYE'S AND PROTECT US.

I'm told that it's a mitzvah to become intoxicated on Purim. This puzzles me, because to my understanding, it is not considered a good thing to become intoxicated, period.

One of the characteristics of the at-risk youth is their use of drugs, including alcohol. In my experience, getting drunk doesn't reveal secrets. It makes people act stupid and irresponsible, doing things they would never do if they were sober. Also, I know a lot about the horrible health effects of abusing alcohol, because I work at a research center that focuses on addiction and substance abuse.

Also, I am an alcoholic, which means that if I drink, very bad things happen. I have not had a drink in 22 years, and I have no intention of starting now. Surely there must be instances where a person is excused from the obligation to drink. I don't see how Judaism could ever promote the idea of getting drunk. It just doesn't seem right.

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Putting aside for a moment all the spiritual and philosophical reasons for getting drunk on Purim, this remains an issue of common sense. Of course, teenagers should be warned of the dangers of acute alcohol ingestion. Of course, nobody should drink and drive. Of course, nobody should become so drunk to the point of negligence in performing mitzvot. And of course, a recovering alcoholic should not partake of alcohol on Purim.

Indeed, the Code of Jewish Law explicitly says that if one suspects the drinking may affect him negatively, then he should NOT drink.

Getting drunk on Purim is actually one of the most difficult mitzvot to do correctly. A person should only drink if it will lead to positive spiritual results - e.g. under the loosening affect of the alcohol, greater awareness will surface of the love for God and Torah found deep in the heart. (Perhaps if we were on a higher spiritual level, we wouldn't need to get drunk!)

Yet the Talmud still speaks of an obligation on Purim of "not knowing the difference between Blessed is Mordechai and Cursed is Haman." How then should a person who doesn't drink get the point of “not knowing”? Simple - just go to sleep! (Rama - OC 695:2)

All this applies to individuals. But the question remains - does drinking on Purim adversely affect the collective social health of the Jewish community?

The aversion to alcoholism is engrained into Jewish consciousness from a number of Biblical and Talmudic sources. There are the rebuking words of prophets - Isaiah 28:1, Hosea 3:1 with Rashi, and Amos 6:6, and the Zohar says that "The wicked stray after wine" (Midrash Ne'alam Parshat Vayera).

It is well known that the rate of alcoholism among Jews has historically been very low. Numerous medical, psychological and sociological studies have confirmed this. The connection between Judaism and sobriety is so evident, that the following conversation is reported by Lawrence Kelemen in "Permission to Receive":

When Dr. Mark Keller, editor of the Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, commented that "practically all Jews do drink, and yet all the world knows that Jews hardly ever become alcoholics," his colleague, Dr. Howard Haggard, director of Yale's Laboratory of Applied Physiology, jokingly proposed converting alcoholics to the Jewish religion in order to immerse them in a culture with healthy attitudes toward drinking!

Perhaps we could suggest that it is precisely because of the use of alcohol in traditional ceremonies (Kiddush, Bris, Purim, etc.), that Jews experience such low rates of alcoholism. This ceremonial usage may actually act like an inoculation - i.e. injecting a safe amount that keeps the disease away.

Of course, as we said earlier, all this needs to be monitored with good common sense. Yet in my personal experience - having been in the company of Torah scholars who were totally drunk on Purim - they acted with extreme gentleness and joy. Amid the Jewish songs and beautiful words of Torah, every year the event is, for me, very special.

Adar 12 marks the dedication of Herod's renovations on the second Holy Temple in Jerusalem in 11 BCE. Herod was king of Judea in the first century BCE who constructed grand projects like the fortresses at Masada and Herodium, the city of Caesarea, and fortifications around the old city of Jerusalem. The most ambitious of Herod's projects was the re-building of the Temple, which was in disrepair after standing over 300 years. Herod's renovations included a huge man-made platform that remains today the largest man-made platform in the world. It took 10,000 men 10 years just to build the retaining walls around the Temple Mount; the Western Wall that we know today is part of that retaining wall. The Temple itself was a phenomenal site, covered in gold and marble. As the Talmud says, "He who has not seen Herod's building, has never in his life seen a truly grand building."

Some people gauge the value of themselves by what they own. But in reality, the entire concept of ownership of possessions is based on an illusion. When you obtain a material object, it does not become part of you. Ownership is merely your right to use specific objects whenever you wish.

How unfortunate is the person who has an ambition to cleave to something impossible to cleave to! Such a person will not obtain what he desires and will experience suffering.

Fortunate is the person whose ambition it is to acquire personal growth that is independent of external factors. Such a person will lead a happy and rewarding life.

With exercising patience you could have saved yourself 400 zuzim (Berachos 20a).

This Talmudic proverb arose from a case where someone was fined 400 zuzim because he acted in undue haste and insulted some one.

I was once pulling into a parking lot. Since I was a bit late for an important appointment, I was terribly annoyed that the lead car in the procession was creeping at a snail's pace. The driver immediately in front of me was showing his impatience by sounding his horn. In my aggravation, I wanted to join him, but I saw no real purpose in adding to the cacophony.

When the lead driver finally pulled into a parking space, I saw a wheelchair symbol on his rear license plate. He was handicapped and was obviously in need of the nearest parking space. I felt bad that I had harbored such hostile feelings about him, but was gratified that I had not sounded my horn, because then I would really have felt guilty for my lack of consideration.

This incident has helped me to delay my reactions to other frustrating situations until I have more time to evaluate all the circumstances. My motives do not stem from lofty principles, but from my desire to avoid having to feel guilt and remorse for having been foolish or inconsiderate.

Today I shall...

try to withhold impulsive reaction, bearing in mind that a hasty act performed without full knowledge of all the circumstances may cause me much distress.

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